Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS
Photo by: Shirley Denton, Suncoast Chapter FNPS

Nomenclature

Common Name:

scrub bay

Synonym(s):

Persea borbonea var. humilis

Genus species:

Persea humilis

Family:

Lauraceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

tree

Size:

To 20 ft tall by To 10 ft wide

Life Span:

Long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

black

Phenology:

Evergreen. Blooms in late spring.

Noted For:

Interesting Foliage

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Nice specimen plant. Slow growing.

Considerations:

This small tree appears to less likely to be killed by laurel wilt than Florida's other bays.. It is likely that it is too small to attract the beetle that spreads the disease.

Availability:

Propagation:

Light:

Full Sun, Part Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Coming Soon!

Short very dry periods ---to--- Very long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A,8B,9A,9B,10A,10B

Ecology

Wildlife:

Pollinators, Caterpillars, Birds

Larval host plant for palamedes swallowtail ( Papilio palamedes) and spicebush swallowtail ( Papilio troilus) butterflies.





Attracts bees including   Colletes brimleyi, C. nudus, Augochlora pura, Augochlorella aurata, Augochloropsis metallica and Anthidiellum perplexum (Deyrup et al. 2002)

Fruits eaten and dispersed by birds.

Native Habitats:

Dry sites. Scrub, high pine, scrubby sandhill.

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

General Comments:

Do not plant this plant unless you are absolutely sure that it is not infected by laurel wilt disease.  In general, this small bay seems to be escaping its ravages.